Multiple punch press

ABSTRACT

A multiple punch press is provided for punching holes in a beam or other structure approximately at the same time and also for punching holes in various positions.

United States Patent 11 1 [11] 3,805,659 Fisher, Jr. Apr. 23, 1974 [5 MULTIPLE PUNCH PRESS 3,299,761 1/1967 Goldman 83 641 x 2,369,617 2/1945 Somerville 83/516 X [76] Invent: Frankh" 3,137,193 6/1964 Whistler, 81. et a1. 83 685 40446, 77040 1,319,411 10 1919 Nelson 83/618 x Filed: Sept. 3, Stevenson X [21] APP! 177,789 Primary Examiner-Francis S. Husar Assistant Examiner-Leon Gilden 52 us. c1 83/560, 83/543, 83/690 Attorney, Agent, FirmPraveLWi1Sn & Matthews [51] Int. Cl B26d 5/08 [58] Field Of Search 83/618, 543, 620, 640, 57 A S T A multlple punch press is prov1ded for punchmg holes [56] References Cited in a beam or other structure approximately at the UNITED STATES PATENTS same time and also for punching holes in various positions. 2,781,096 2/1957 Garity 83/560 X 1,064,397 6/1913 Thomas 83/620 X 1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAFR23 1974 3.805659 SHEEI 1 OF 3 [NI EN TOR paw/J HAW & MaHLewA flTTORNE YS 9ATENTEDAPR 23 m4 SHEET 3 BF 3 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The field of this invention relates to the fabrication of structural members. One of the common fabricating operations performed on steel beams or other structures is the punching of holes in such members. Since such beams may be flat members, L-shaped, U-shaped or I-shaped, as well as various other shapes, it is sometimes difficult to use the same punch press to punch holes in each of these various shapes of beams. In such hole punching operations, it is desirable to punch as many holes as possible simultaneously to eliminate additional handling and positioning of the beams in the punch press. Also, it is important to be able to adjust the positions of the punches in the punch press with accuracy so that the positions at which the holes are punched can be varied with precision.

In the prior art, one type of multiple punch press was capable of punching two holes in a beam simultaneously; however, this punch press used separate hydraulic rams or cylinders to drive each punch which limited the proximity, and thus the variety of positions, at which two holes could be punched. The use of the separate hydraulic rams limited the movement of. the punches toward each other since the rams, which were larger in diameter than the punches themselves and yet were centered about the punch, would interfere with each other before the punches could be moved in substantial proximity to each other.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved multiple punch press. This and other objects of this invention are provided by a multiple punch press which punches two holes in a beam or other structure simultaneously by attaching the two punching means to a single hydraulically actuated ram mounted in the punch press frame. Further, the positions of two punching means with respect to each other can be accurately adjusted due to the slidable attachment of the punching means to the ram. An additional feature of this invention is that two holes can be punched not only simultaneouslybut also in substantial proximity to each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONOF THE DRAWINGS The preferred embodiment of this invention will be described hereinafter, together with other features thereof, and additional objects will become evident from such description.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof wherein an example of the invention is shown FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the multiple punch press illustrating the adjustability of the positions of the punch means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the'drawings, the letter A generally designates a multiple punch press according to the preferred embodiment of this invention. The multiple punch press A is designed to punch one or more holes in the I-shaped beam B or in L-shaped or U-shaped beams as well as various other structures.

The multiple punch press includes a frame 10 which has a vertically extending channel 10a (FIG. 4) machined therein. An upper die block 11 and a lower die block 12 are mounted in the channel 10a for vertical movement therein. The die blocks 11 and 12 are in a substantially U-shape as viewed from the side as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. The upper die block 11 includes a first portion 11a, which is actually mounted in the frame channel 10a, and a second section 111; which extends downwardly such that the first and second portions oppose each other. Similarly, the lower die block 12 has a first portion 12a which is slidably mounted in the channel 10a and a second opposing portion 12b. A punching means, generally designated as 15 is mounted in each of the die blocks 11 and 12 such that the beam B, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5, may be positioned between the first and second portions of the die blocks to have holes punched therein.

A driving means 16, which is attached to each of the punch means 15, includes a housing 17 which comprises a flange 17a welded or otherwise attached to a hydraulic cylinder 17b. The housing 17 is mounted on the frame 10 bybolts 19. A hydraulic ram 21 includes a larger diameter section 21a having an outside diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of flange 17a whereby an annular seal 17c mounts the hydraulic ram 21 for slidable, sealable movement with respect to flange 17a.

A collar 18 is mounted on a shoulder 21b of the hydraulic ram 21 by an annular nut 21c. The annular nut 21c has an inside wall which is threaded to engage a corresponding threaded portion 21d on the hydraulic ram 21. An annular seal 18a is mounted on the outside of collar 18 and provides a slidable seal between inside wall 17d of the hydraulic cylinder 17 and the collar 18.

In this manner, a sealed chamber 20a is provided by the annular seal 18a whereby hydraulic fluid entering the sealed chamber 20a through line 23 moves the hydraulic cylinder 21and the punch means 15 attached thereto, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, inwardly such that the punch means 15 engages and punches holes in the beam B. The annular seal 17c cooperates with the annular seal 18a to provide another sealed chamber 2% such that pressurized hydraulic fluid entering the chamber 20b from line 24 moves the hydraulic ram 21 outwardly such that the punch means 15 attached thereto is moved out of engagement with the beamB. The punching means 15 are attached to the hydraulic ram by means of a doubleacting vertical slot 25.

The punching means 15 for the lower die block 12 includes a punch member 30 which is mounted for slidable, horizontal movement in a hole machined in the first portion 12a of the lower die block 12. The

- heldin place by means of set screws punch member 30 includes a longitudinal stem 31 which extends through the machined hole 12c for slidable movement therein. A punch 32 (which is commercially available) is mounted onto the punch stem 31 by means of a threaded connection 33a with a punch coupling 33.

The punch stem 31 is mounted on the ram 21 by a punch mounting means 34 so that the ram may move the punch 32 into and out of engagement with the beam B. The punch mounting means 34 is a punch nut 34a which is mounted onto the punch stem 31 and is positioned within the slot 25 in the hydraulic ram 21. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the hydraulic ram slot 25 includes a first face 25a which engages an opposing face 34b of the punch nut 34a when hydraulic fluid is applied under pressure through the hydraulic line 23 into the chamber 20a to drive the punch 32 into engagement with the beam 8 (FIG. 3). The ram slot 25 further includes an opposing face 251) which engages the face 34c of the punch nut 34a when hydraulic fluid under pressure enters from the line 24 into the chamber 20b so that the punch 3.2 is moved out of engagement with. the beam B (FIG. 4). Therefore, the shape of the punch nut 34a conforms to the shape of the ram slot 25 sothat the punch 32.-can bedriven into and out of engagement with the beam B. Furthermore, the configuration of the punchcoupling 34 allows the punch member to bejslidably movedwith the die block 12 vertically in the ram slot 25, which provides a means to adjust the position of each punching means, which will be described in more detail later.

Thepunching means 15 for theupper die block 11 includes a punch member 40 that is mounted for slidable movement in a horizontal direction in a hole 11c, which is machined in the first portion 11a of the upper die blockqThe punch member 40 includes a punch stem 41 extending through the first die block portion llav for slidable movemennlA commercially available punch .42 is threadedly connected to thepunch stem 41 by, a punch coupling 43; and, a punch mounting means is provided by punch nut 44a which is mounted onto the punch stem 41 and is positioned within the: vertical slot 25 in the hydraulic ram 21 so that the punch 42 can be driven into'andoutof engagement with the-beam B by movementof the hydraulic ram-21. Similar to the punch coupling 34a, the punch coupling 44a has a face 44b which is engaged by the face 25a of the ram slot when the punch 42 is driven into engagement with the beam B and the 'punch nut has a face 44c which is engaged by the ram'slot face 25b when the hydraulic ram 21' moves the punch member 42 out of engagement with the beam B.

v A die 50, commercially available with the punch32, is secured in'a die holder 51 which is mounted in the second portion 12b of the die block 12 by means of set screws 52 and 53. In the same manner, a die 54 is secured in a die holder 55 mounted in the second portion llb'of the upper die block 11. The die holder 55 is also (not shown) which extend into the die block itself. I a

Therefore, two holes are punched in the beam B by positioning the beam B between the dies 50 and 54, and applying hydraulic fluid under pressure into chamber 20a thus driving the ram 21, and the punches 32 and 42 into the beam 8 whereby two circular pieces of the beam. are sheared or punched out. After the holes have under pressure into the chamber 20b from line 24- thereby moving the ram 21 and the punches 32 and 42 out of engagement with the beam so that another beam may be positioned to have two holes punched in it. Thus the multiple punch press A of the preferred embodiment of this invention punches two holes in a beam substantially at the same time by the utilization of a single driving ram. 7

One of the difficulties in using die holders such as 51 and 55 is that the forces exerted by the punches 32 and 42 are transmitted to the die blocks 12 and 11 through the die holders. Thus if the force exerted on the dies and die holders is sufficiently great, the die'blocks may fail. In one aspect of this invention, the die holders 51 and 55 are made of a more brittle material than the die blocks 12 and 11 so that the die holders will fail' prior to transmitting to the die blocks a force which might cause failure of the dieblocks. Thus if an extremely high force were accidentally exerted by the punches 32 and 42, the die holders 51 and 55 would fracture and thus not transfer the high intensity forces to the die blocks. 6 I

As mentioned previously, the die blocks 11 and 12 are slidably mounted for vertical movement in the channel 10a of the frame 10. Movement of the die blocks 11 and 12 enables the operator to adjust the positions of the punches 32 and 42 while the punch nuts 34a.and 44a respectively, remain positioned in the vertical slot 25 in the ram so that the hydraulic ram 21 may drive the punches into and out of engagement with the beam B at various positions. in this manner, the vertical slot provides means for-adjusting the position of the die blocks and the punches. The die blocks are moved in the channel 10a by adjusting motor means 60 and 61 which move the die blocks in equal and opposite directionssimultaneously. In the preferred embodiment of this invention theadjusting motor means .60 and 61 include .lactuators 62 and 63 which are respectively mounted at the top 10b and the bottom lfl c of the frame. The .lactuators are manufactured by the Duff- .Norton Co. of Charlotte, NC. and have right angle drive means. The adjusting motor. means 61 further inbeen punched in the beam, hydraulic fluid is forced cludes adrivingshaft 65, which is driven by any suitable power means (not shown), mounted for rotation at the top. 10b of the frame by a bearing 66 The driving shaft 65 is coupled to a driven shaft 67 by a coupling 68. The right angle drive gear arrangement (not shown) of the Jactuator 62 converts the-rotation of the horizontally disposed shaft 67 into vertical movement by the vertically disposed shaft 70, which is attached to the die block 11 by means of a yoke 71. Therefore, rotation of the horizontal shaft 65 will cause vertical movement of the shaft 70 through the Jactuator thereby causing the die block 11 to move upwardly or downwardly.

In a similar manner the adjusting motor means 60 includes a Jactuator 63 which is mounted on the bottom 10c of the frame. Rotation of driving shaft 72, mounted on the bottom 10c by bearing 72a, causes rotation of shaft 74 through coupling 73. The right angle gear arrangement (not shown) 73a of the Jactuator 63 causes vertical movement of vertical shaft 75 in response to rotation of shaft 74. The vertically disposed shaft 75 is mounted for rotation on the lower die block 12 by means of a yoke 76.

in order to synchronize the movements of the upper and lower die blocks so that they will move equal amounts in opposite directions, which is convenient for adjusting the press for punching holes in various positions, the driving shaft 72 of the .lactuator 63 is drivingly connected by means of a drive chain 80 to the driving shaft 65 of the Jactuator 62.

A graduated scale 76a is mounted on die block 12 and a marker 76b is inscribed on yoke 71 of the die block 11 so that the position of the die blocks 11 and 12 can be ascertained with ease.

The punch member 30, and the die 50 with which it is aligned, is mounted near the upper surface 12d of the die block 12 and, the punching member 40, with the aligned die 54, is mounted near the lower surface 11d of the die block 1 1. Such positioning of the punches allows holes to be punched in substantial proximity to each other at the same time. For instance in FIG. 3, two holes have been punched in the beam B in substantial proximity to each other. This feature provides the multiple punch press of this invention with a great deal of flexibility in the number of positions that holes can be punched in a beam.

As illustrated by FIG. 1, the punch members 30 and 40 are driven in a horizontal direction and the die blocks 11 and 12 are moved in a vertical direction. It should be understood that the multiple punch press may be positioned such that the punch members 30 and 40 will be driven in a vertical plane and the die block moved in a horizontal plane or in other positions.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for punching holes in a member, comprising:

a frame;

a pair of die blocks mounted with said frame for movement with respect to each other and with respect to said frame, each of said die blocks being substantially U-shaped and including first and second opposing block portions;

a punch member slidably mounted in each of said first block portions and a die mounted in each of said second block portions thereby providing two sets of punch members and dies for punching two holes simultaneously;

a ram mounted in said frame for movement, said ram having a single slot therein;

each of said two punch members being mounted in said single ram slot for slidable movement with respect to said ram within said single slot such that said punch members are movable toward and away from each other within said single slot;

drive means for driving said ram and said two punch members mounted in said ram slot toward said dies in order to punch two holes in a member simultaneously; and

a die holder mounted on each of said second portions for securing said dies, said die holder being removable so that said die may be easily replaced; and

said die holder being mounted on said second block portion being of a more brittle material than said block whereby said die holder is likely to fall before said die block. 

1. Apparatus for punching holes in a member, comprising: a frame; a pair of die blocks mounted with said frame for movement with respect to each other and with respect to said frame, each of said die blocks being substantially U-shaped and including first and second opposing block portions; a punch member slidably mounted in each of said first block portions and a die mounted in each of said second block portions thereby providing two sets of punch members and dies for punching two holes simultaneously; a ram mounted in said frame for movement, said ram having a single slot therein; each of said two punch members being mounted in said single ram slot for slidable movement with respect to said ram within said single slot such that said punch members are movable toward and away from each other within said single slot; drive means for driving said ram and said two punch members mounted in said ram slot toward said dies in order to punch two holes in a member simultaneously; and a die holder mounted on each of said second portions for securing said dies, said die holder being removable so that said die may be easily replaced; and said die holder being mounted on said second block portion being of a more brittle material than said block whereby said die holder is likely to fail before said die block. 